Kanye West’s ‘Yeezus’ Album Will Not Be Available for Pre-Order

In a strange move, Kanye West's latest project, 'Yeezus,' will not be available for pre-orders. This means fans will have to cop the album on its release date, June 18.

A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou, who is a good friend of Mr. West, tweeted an image with the rapper's CD that reads, "No Pre Order Please Purchase June 18."

The picture also reveals that the CD will not have the artwork of the melted gold image that was previewed a few weeks ago, although the red duct tape with "Yeezus" is on the front like the original photo.

A clear CD with no booklet? What is Yeezy up to now?

Music insiders speculate that West is trying to thwart the bootleggers and Internet pirates by releasing the album on June 18 -- sans a possible CD booklet -- so everybody can hear the music at the same time. As for the booklet, maybe it will be available for download on West's official website. Who knows?

West did an almost similar roll out two years ago when he and Jay-Z released their 'Watch the Throne' album via online stores first, much to the chagrin of independent record store owners.

Complex noted that Touitou and West have a history of collaborating together, so we should expect something minimalist and unique with this 'Yeezus' project.

We are excited to hear West's experimental album, but we also would like a colorful CD booklet to go along with our listening experience.

What do you think of Kanye West's release-date strategy for 'Yeezus'? Tell us in the comments below.